A live performance from an outfit like N.A.S.A. was always going to be interesting. The duo’s deservedly hyped debut The Spirit Of Apollo boasts over 40 impressive guest vocalists, so putting it over on stage would inevitably be a bit of a challenge.
The obvious solution would be to do a Mark Ronson, and invite, let’s say, an ‘Aldi’ version of the album’s contributors to belt out the hits. Alas, the boys behind N.A.S.A., Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, decided to ditch the album for the night, and instead did a fairly mediocre DJ set.
Arriving on stage at 1.30am on a Bank Holiday Sunday night, the task of entertaining the by now very merry crowd was not unlike shooting fish in a barrel, yet the performance still managed to fall short. What few tracks the pair did play from The Spirit Of Apollo served to further emphasise the lead vocalists’ absence: Squeak E. Clean took to the mic for ‘Money’, standing in for no less than David Byrne, Ras Congo and Public Enemy’s Chuck D. Perhaps aware of this, and indeed of Kanye West’s recent guest appearance at N.A.S.A.’s Cork gig, they treated us to a special ‘live’ video link-up with the rapper, who performed ‘Gifted’ with the pair. Nice idea – but if that was a live appearance from Mr. West, I’ll eat my hat.
The whole performance was no better than okay. There were plenty of wacky remixes to get the crowd going, with a nostalgic nod to the '90s (Salt ‘N Pepa’s ‘Push It’ anyone?) – but generally you were left feeling short-changed.